A scratch in a car or truck fender is expensive to fix even for an auto dealer of truck dealer with their own body shop. Body shops typically charge in excess of $100 to fix a deep scratch which can not be merely buffed out. When such a scratch occurs, the dealer or mechanic is essentially out the cost for the repairing the scratch. In addition, the customer is typically very unhappy as the scratch repair adds time to the total repair and may damage the reputation of the dealership. Customers may think that if the mechanic is not careful with the fender, that he or she also did not care about the quality of the mechanical repair. In order to keep their customers happy and to prevent the additional expense associated with fixing a scratch, repair facilities typically drape a padded protector over a car fender before working on the engine of an automobile or truck. This allows a mechanic to access the engine from above by leaning on the car or truck fender without the fear of scratching the surface of the fender with his or her belt buckle.
Even with padded fender protectors scratches in car fenders do occur from time to time. As a matter of fact, its a constant problem in repair shops of all kinds. Mechanics sometimes forget or simply do not want to spend the time moving the padded protector from one fender on the car or truck to the other, especially when the mechanic only needs access the other side of the engine for a short time or for a small task. Other personnel, such as those that do relatively unskilled tasks such as changing windshield wipers, may perform this task on the car lot. Sometimes they lean on the fenders, especially when changing the windshield wipers on a larger car, van or truck. The end result may be an accidental scratch on the fender which must be repaired. Service stations that offer full service have also had this problem. The attendant may inadvertently scratch the fender when washing the windshield for the customer.
There are other industries where this problem exists. For example, movers of furniture may scratch a table, book shelf, desk, or chair. Warehouseman have been known to scratch items stored in the warehouse. In essence, in any industry concerned with delivering a product with a fine finish there is a problem with scratches from belt buckles of the personnel working in that industry.
Some belt buckle covers exist, but they seem to exist to prevent scratches in the belt buckle rather than the other way around. For example, in country western clothing stores, leather belt buckle covers that strap over large, ornate belt buckles prevent scratches in the belt buckle. The leather unit is typically attached to the belt buckle with several straps of elastic. Over time, the elastic gives which exposes other surfaces to scratches by the belt buckle.
As a result, there is a widespread need for a belt cover that is comfortable to wear so that the user essentially forgets about the device. Comfort is key as the user should not remove the belt cover due to discomfort. There is also a need for a belt cover that stays in place once attached, and yet can be easily placed over the belt buckle and easily removed from the belt buckle. The user should also be able to put the belt cover in place quickly and with little skill.